As schools prepare for NAIDOC Week and continue the important work of reconciliation, many educators are looking for meaningful ways to deepen students’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and achievements.
This year's theme, ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy’, shines a spotlight on the role young Australians can play in carrying those stories forward. Supporting that work is Twinkl, a global education platform that develops curriculum-aligned resources with First Nations experts.
At the coalface of this work is Michael Evans, Twinkl’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Content Writer and Editor. As a primary-qualified teacher who grew up on Awabakal Country and holds a Master of Indigenous Education.
Most recently, Evans led the development of an educational activity pack based on Welcome to Country by respected Indigenous Elder Aunty Joy Murphy, created in collaboration with Aunty Joy to make culturally informed resources more accessible to teachers and students.
In recognition of this commitment, Evans was awarded the NSW Indigenous Leadership Award in 2014 for his outstanding dedication to community and cultural education.
Below, The Educator speaks to Evans about what culturally respectful education looks like in practice, why authentic engagement must extend beyond NAIDOC Week, and how schools can build meaningful connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities while embedding First Nations perspectives across everyday learning.
TE: NAIDOC Week spotlights the role schools play in shaping young people's understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Drawing from your experience, what does culturally respectful education actually look like, and where do schools most often miss the mark?
Building strong relationships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is essential when teaching First Nations histories, cultures and perspectives. Meaningful consultation ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices help shape how their cultures and histories are represented, while supporting educators to teach content accurately and respectfully.
Any resources used should be developed by or in genuine consultation with First Nations voices to ensure they are culturally respectful and accurate, and to avoid the spread of misinformation or subconscious bias– tools such as Twinkl's Welcome to Country Activity Pack, created with Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content advisors – are good examples of this.
Cultural protocols are important and can vary between Nations and language groups, making local community engagement particularly valuable. Ongoing communication with local communities helps educators access culturally appropriate advice, strengthen their understanding, and ensure learning experiences reflect local knowledge and perspectives.
Some of the Indigenous education consultative groups across Australia include the New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group; the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association; The Torres Strait Islanders’ Regional Education Council; The South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council; the WA Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council; and the NT Aboriginal Education Consultative Council (NTAECC).
TE: Plenty of schools want to move beyond NAIDOC Week being a once-a-year celebration. What are some of the best examples you've seen of schools helping students build a genuine, lasting connection with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives?
I’m seeing more support from Education Department’s when it comes to teachers embedding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cross Curriculum priorities in everyday lessons. When students regularly engage with First Nations knowledge in subjects such as Geography, Science, English and the Arts, these perspectives become a natural and valued part of their learning. For example, students might explore traditional land management practices, study Aboriginal authors and storytellers, or learn from Aboriginal artists and cultural knowledge holders.
I have also seen schools establish ongoing partnerships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through initiatives such as regular yarn ups, community visits, cultural workshops and opportunities for families to connect with staff. This helps build genuine relationships based on trust, respect and shared learning and provide students with authentic connections to culture.
TE: There's growing agreement that First Nations perspectives shouldn't sit in a single unit of work or be wheeled out for special occasions. In your view, why is it so important to embed them across everyday learning, and what advice would you give leaders trying to build authentic relationships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities?
I believe a significant contributor to the racial stigmatisation and stereotyping that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples experience within society is the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and perspectives have been taught in the past. Education was once used as a tool to diminish these cultures, and it now carries a significant responsibility to ensure that Indigenous cultures, histories and perspectives are taught accurately and recognised as an important part of Australia’s identity. I would like to think that, as younger generations are given these opportunities, there will come a time when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are represented more positively across all generations within society, and the misconceptions resulting from past approaches to teaching Indigenous culture become a thing of the past.
Authentic relationships are not formed through one or two meetings; they are built through many conversations. They develop through the five-minute chats you stop to have while passing by and the discussions you initiate to share positive feedback about a child. Once rapport and trust have been established, opportunities arise to invite families to share their cultural knowledge or to seek their advice when teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives.
Additional comments: The best advice I heard came from an Aboriginal Elder who reminded educators that, for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, education was not a positive experience. As a result, simply coming from an educational background may already create a barrier. Sometimes, removing these barriers involves small actions that we do not always consider, such as meeting with families outside the school gates and exchanging formal attire for more casual clothing.
TE: If we were having this conversation five years from now, what would you hope has changed in the way Australian schools teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and achievements, and what needs to happen between now and then to make that a reality?
We are at a point where initiatives such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cross-Curriculum Priorities within the Australian Curriculum have made the teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and perspectives an educational requirement. However, the way this is implemented across schools and states can vary significantly, one contributing factor being the inconsistent (and not mandatory) availability of professional development opportunities for educators.
As of 2020, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators made up only 1.3% of the Australian teaching workforce (AITSL, 2024). Consequently, in schools fortunate enough to have an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander educator, these staff members often carry a substantial cultural load to support the implementation of Indigenous perspectives and initiatives.
While I hope that the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers continues to increase over the next five years, I believe it is imperative that all educators are provided with mandatory professional development opportunities across Australia. This would help ensure that the Cross-Curriculum Priorities are implemented consistently through culturally informed educational practices and that all students, regardless of the school they attend, have an equal opportunity to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and perspectives.
References: Australian Teacher Workforce Data (2024). In Focus: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers.